The name Styger, also written Steiger, later became Styer. Like theSpares, the Styers were pioneer settlers of Worcester Township. StephenStyger, father of Jacob Styger, arrived in Germantown, Pa., between 1712and 1714, having come, it was said, from Bohemia, where he was born in1688. His father, John Nicholas Styger, was an officer in the Prussianarmy in the war with Austria. Freas Styer, Esq., of Norristown, had, in1931, in his possession the original certificate attesting that in 1688 aCatholic priest who was an army chaplain had christened Stefanus Styger,son of John Nicholas Styger, master of horse, and his wife Catherine. InPennsylvania, how- ever, Stephen Styger identified himself with theMennonites. He lived in Germantown until 1727, when he bought fromThomas Shute, of Philadelphia, a tract of 200 acres in the southeasternpart of Worcester Township, then Philadelphia County. The site is northof the present Fairview Village, on Germantown Pike.

Stephen Styger died May 5, 1736, leaving a widow, Catharine, and sixminor children.

Tradition says that Stephen Styger was buried in a private burial groundwhich he had set apart on his farm and which later became the burialground of Methacton Mennonite Church, near Fairview Village. Numerousold graves in this ground are marked with field stones, but among thelater inscribed stones are some bearing the name of Styer, the familyhaving been members of Methacton Church. The name of the church is thatof the hill on which it is situated.

In 1739 Jacob Stire, as the name appears in the records, and his mother,Catharine, granted thirty-two perches of land from the Styer farm to agroup of trustees, the deed designating that the land was "for the useand behoof of the Dutch Anabaptist Society of the Township of Worcester,"meaning the Mennonite congregation. The same year Henry Rittenhouse, whoowned an adjoining farm, transferred to the same trustees another tractof thirty-two perches bordering that conveyed by the Styers. These twotracts are now (1931) part of the grounds of Methacton Church.

Jacob Styer tilled the Worcester farm after his father's death. There heand his family lived until 1768, when he moved to a tract of 264 acres inWhitpain Township, which he bought from William and Richard Thomas for1500 pounds, the deed being dated June 4 of that year.

Whitpain adjoins Worcester on the southeast. The farm which Jacob Styerbought extended southwest from the northeastern township line to Morrisroad, on both sides of Plymouth road, between Gwynedd Valley and BlueBell. Part of this tract remained in the Styer ownership until early inthe 20th century.

No doubt the attention of the Styers was directed to Whitpain Township bythe Yosts, who lived in that township a mile west of the farm which JacobStyer bought. Elizabeth Spare, sister of the wife of Jacob Styer, hadmarried Daniel Yost some years before the Styers moved to Whitpain.

There is a family tradition that Leonard Styer, youngest son of Jacob andChristiana Styer, was born in the new home in Whitpain the night afterthe family moved thither. The date of his birth is given as March 18,1768.

Jacob Styer built a house on the east side of Plymouth road, a shortdistance north of Morris road. The initials "J. S." and the date 1768were cut on a stone in the southwest gable.

In 1931 Dr. Joseph Leidy owned most of the original Styer tract, andseveral buildings remained which were erected at the time of the Styerownership. The house which Dr. Leidy occupied was an enlargement of anold house which had a stone bearing the date 1808. In a wall of the barnwas a stone with the date 1792. The barn was a well constructed stonebuilding, and in one wing the stone was set to represent the bust ofGeorge Washington.

Jacob Styer remained a Mennonite throughout his life. It has been saidhe was a preacher of the denomination. His wife evidently continued tobe a member of the Reformed Church, for an entry in the books of Boehm'sReformed Church, Blue Bell, near the Styer home, shows that "ChristinaSteier" was sponsor for Mrs. Lowisa Bez at baptism and confirmation,April 13, 1775, and at the same time her brother, Philip Spare, and hiswife Dorothea were sponsors for "Mrs. Catharina Sperr" at baptism andconfirmation. The latter may have been the wife of Leonard Spare, son ofPhilip and Dorothea Spare.

Jacob Styer lived only nine years after making his home in WhitpainTownship.

By his will he left his wife 18 pounds a year, "with use of two rooms inmy house, a cow, ten bushels of wheat yearly." To his son Henry hebequeathed "my whole dwelling place," and to his son John the remainderof his lands. The sons Stephen and Henry were appointed executors.

The name Styger, also written Steiger, later became Styer. Like theSpares, the Styers were pioneer settlers of Worcester Township. StephenStyger, father of Jacob Styger, arrived in Germantown, Pa., between 1712and 1714, having come, it was said, from Bohemia, where he was born in1688. His father, John Nicholas Styger, was an officer in the Prussianarmy in the war with Austria. Freas Styer, Esq., of Norristown, had, in1931, in his possession the original certificate attesting that in 1688 aCatholic priest who was an army chaplain had christened Stefanus Styger,son of John Nicholas Styger, master of horse, and his wife Catherine. InPennsylvania, how- ever, Stephen Styger identified himself with theMennonites. He lived in Germantown until 1727, when he bought fromThomas Shute, of Philadelphia, a tract of 200 acres in the southeasternpart of Worcester Township, then Philadelphia County. The site is northof the present Fairview Village, on Germantown Pike.

Stephen Styger died May 5, 1736, leaving a widow, Catharine, and sixminor children.

Tradition says that Stephen Styger was buried in a private burial groundwhich he had set apart on his farm and which later became the burialground of Methacton Mennonite Church, near Fairview Village. Numerousold graves in this ground are marked with field stones, but among thelater inscribed stones are some bearing the name of Styer, the familyhaving been members of Methacton Church. The name of the church is thatof the hill on which it is situated.

In 1739 Jacob Stire, as the name appears in the records, and his mother,Catharine, granted thirty-two perches of land from the Styer farm to agroup of trustees, the deed designating that the land was "for the useand behoof of the Dutch Anabaptist Society of the Township of Worcester,"meaning the Mennonite congregation. The same year Henry Rittenhouse, whoowned an adjoining farm, transferred to the same trustees another tractof thirty-two perches bordering that conveyed by the Styers. These twotracts are now (1931) part of the grounds of Methacton Church.

Jacob Styer tilled the Worcester farm after his father's death. There heand his family lived until 1768, when he moved to a tract of 264 acres inWhitpain Township, which he bought from William and Richard Thomas for1500 pounds, the deed being dated June 4 of that year.

Whitpain adjoins Worcester on the southeast. The farm which Jacob Styerbought extended southwest from the northeastern township line to Morrisroad, on both sides of Plymouth road, between Gwynedd Valley and BlueBell. Part of this tract remained in the Styer ownership until early inthe 20th century.

No doubt the attention of the Styers was directed to Whitpain Township bythe Yosts, who lived in that township a mile west of the farm which JacobStyer bought. Elizabeth Spare, sister of the wife of Jacob Styer, hadmarried Daniel Yost some years before the Styers moved to Whitpain.

There is a family tradition that Leonard Styer, youngest son of Jacob andChristiana Styer, was born in the new home in Whitpain the night afterthe family moved thither. The date of his birth is given as March 18,1768.

Jacob Styer built a house on the east side of Plymouth road, a shortdistance north of Morris road. The initials "J. S." and the date 1768were cut on a stone in the southwest gable.

In 1931 Dr. Joseph Leidy owned most of the original Styer tract, andseveral buildings remained which were erected at the time of the Styerownership. The house which Dr. Leidy occupied was an enlargement of anold house which had a stone bearing the date 1808. In a wall of the barnwas a stone with the date 1792. The barn was a well constructed stonebuilding, and in one wing the stone was set to represent the bust ofGeorge Washington.

Jacob Styer remained a Mennonite throughout his life. It has been saidhe was a preacher of the denomination. His wife evidently continued tobe a member of the Reformed Church, for an entry in the books of Boehm'sReformed Church, Blue Bell, near the Styer home, shows that "ChristinaSteier" was sponsor for Mrs. Lowisa Bez at baptism and confirmation,April 13, 1775, and at the same time her brother, Philip Spare, and hiswife Dorothea were sponsors for "Mrs. Catharina Sperr" at baptism andconfirmation. The latter may have been the wife of Leonard Spare, son ofPhilip and Dorothea Spare.

Jacob Styer lived only nine years after making his home in WhitpainTownship.

By his will he left his wife 18 pounds a year, "with use of two rooms inmy house, a cow, ten bushels of wheat yearly." To his son Henry hebequeathed "my whole dwelling place," and to his son John the remainderof his lands. The sons Stephen and Henry were appointed executors.

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